Garden & farm

An India blue peacock at 4Ds Farm in Maine. | Photo by Scott DeMoranville With its dazzling fan of colorful feathers, the peacock is the prima donna of domestic birds. Strutting about the yard, it demands attention, its iridescent…
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When done well, food composting is an excellent way to dispose of waste while creating garden-friendly soil additives. But, when done in a slipshod manner, all that organic waste becomes a convenient and smelly buffet for rats, mice and…
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Crop rotation is an easy and cheap way to have a healthy and productive garden. Learn how to get started in this excerpt from The Backyard Gardener by Kelly Orzel. Organic Growing Practices There’s a personal satisfaction in…
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When you live off your land, there's much to do and everyone needs to pitch in. Here's how to choose the right projects and chores for your homesteading kids. Brianna Thomas gardens with her father, Josh Thomas, on their family's…
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It's a new year and that means ... it's almost time to start thinking about filing taxes. Good organization and records are key surviving tax time for farmers and homesteaders. Photo by Gabor Degre Living off the land on a homestead…
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Shiitake mushrooms growing on logs. | Courtesy of North Spore Popping up from moss and rotten trees in the shadows of the forest, mushrooms capture the imagination. The colorful caps and frilly gills are almost alien. The fungi world,…
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From tracking your hives to identifying plants, these six homesteading apps will help you organize and optimize your life. Photo by DodgertonSkillhause on MorgueFile Homesteaders often look towards a simple, sustainable lifestyle in…
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When Jill Winger started blogging about life on her prairie homestead in Wyoming, she was just looking for ways to fill her days. Nearly a decade later, Winger has turned her homesteading lifestyle into a successful business and blog, The…
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Aquaponic gardening is a closed-loop freshwater system for soilless gardening. Here's an introduction to how it works and how to get started. Small-scale aquaponic system. | Photo courtesy of Nelson and Pade, Inc. Innovative…
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Kate Garland horticulturist at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension plants a tomato seedling into a bucket while talking about container gardening. | Gabor Degre If you are new to farming and homesteading, you may have heard…
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After passing in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 87-13, and making it through the U.S. House of Representatives with a 389-47 vote on Wednesday, the 2018 Farm Bill now heads to the desk of President Donald Trump to be signed into…
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Many homesteaders want to grow their own food, but getting started can be intimidating, especially for those who have yet to flex their green thumbs. Here are the best crops for first-time growers. Brian Feulner Every wannabe farmer…
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